It Can Also Mean a Type of Fish
Language is made with sounds
and symbols. An X suggests
an ending or anonymity or
place treasure is hidden. Meaning
requires multiple strategies
of interpretation. I’m partial
to words that slide and shift.
Fluke’s a good one: the blade
of an anchor, a harpoon’s barb,
half of a whale’s tail, but also
an accidental stroke of good luck.
At times, I wonder: the stroke
my mom had, would we call that
a fluke? It was certainly not on
purpose, that sharp interruption
of blood, that inexplicable, thick
weight suddenly inside the brain.
Every time I uttered sentences
she couldn’t comprehend I saw
her share of words sink & fade.
Born & raised in South Florida, SM Stubbs most recently co-owned a bar in Brooklyn that closed during the pandemic. He has been the recipient of a scholarship to Bread Loaf; nominated for the Pushcart and Best New Poets; winner of the 2019 Rose Warner Poetry Prize from The Freshwater Review. His work has appeared in numerous magazines, including Poetry Northwest, Puerto del Sol,Carolina Quarterly, New Ohio Review,Iron Horse Literary Review, Crab Creek Review, December, andThe Rumpus. His favorite sweet, in spite of the competition, is the chocolate chip cookie. Or, preferably, cookies. Thick, thin, chewy, crunchy, salty or not, no raisins in sight, it’s the ultimate treat. Feel free to send favorite recipes to: xstubbs@gmail.com.
